Much Ado About Meerkats
by Florida's Firefly
Summary: FINISHED! Inspired from a scene of Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing', Timon's fam and friends think it's time he had a girl, so they set him up with the last girl he expected!
1. Timon vs Saria

Hiya, folks!! Yep, I'm back with yet another idea here, and I owe muchos kudos to my sis for givin' me this idea!! ^^ This particaular story is inspired by a scene from Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing', and I just had to write it. For those of you that have seen the MGM version of the story with Kenneth Braugnah and Emma Thompson, this fic will be strongly influenced by that with some of the dialogue n' stuff. Anyhoo, now you'll get to meet my chacter/alter-ego, Saria!! ^^  
  
Disclaimer: The only characters that I own in this story are Saria, Zero, and Tulia. No touchy!!  
  
~*~  
  
Chap 1: Intro/Timon vs. Saria  
  
The next few years of Timon's life after Simba became king floated by with much activity. The only thing really worth telling of was that not long after the colony went to live in the oasis, two rogue meerkats stumbled into the picture. The first one was Zero, only a bit younger than Uncle Max, but also just as feisty, loud, and pessimistic.  
  
Then there was his daughter, Saria. She was a little under Timon's age, with dark brown hair and green eyes. She was a spirited and beautiful girl, but she had a snappy attitude as well. When she first came to the colony with her father, she wasn't very social and polite, for she just stood there in silence and scowled at the ground as if it had done some unforgivable thing to her.  
  
The colony willingly allowed them to stay in the oasis. However, Timon had picked a bad time to introduce himself to Saria. Maybe it was because he had called her 'Sweetcheeks' as a first impression, but whatever the reason, Timon and Saria hit it off badly. Pretty soon they started to argue about random things, and after 2 years, they hated each other's guts. Timon just couldn't figure out what it was that had made Simba go positively gaga for Nala. He simply did not understand girls. He had long sworn he never would since he was 8.  
  
But the story here began really when Saria went back to a cache one morning where she had stored a couple of bird eggs she had hunted from the previous day and found them gone. During the night, a wily old rat had moseyed in and stolen them away. Infuriated, however, Saria immediately turned and blamed Timon for the robbery.  
  
"What?!" Timon retorted. "Why would I want your stupid bird eggs?"  
  
"Cause you know you can't catch your own food!" Saria snapped. "You just wanna muscle in on my meal!"  
  
"Hey, I was sleeping! See, I sleep at night and stay awake during the day, chick. I'm funny that way!"  
  
They continued to argue until Ma and Zero practically had to pull them apart.  
  
The families of the two rivals were disappointed. They had hoped that the two of them would get along. Zero had mentioned how lonely his daughter had been lately, and he told about how her mother Tulia had died only a couple of weeks before they had stumbled upon the oasis. Ma had also noticed lately that Timon was feeling lonely himself. He had lived his bachelor's life with his pals Pumbaa and Simba, and then returned to live with his family, friends, and colony in the oasis. Still, he was beginning to feel the want for a wife and children.  
  
"They're perfect for each other." others would say. "They just don't give each other a chance to prove it."  
  
It was the morning after the first rain of the season had come during the night and coated everything with fine dew when inspiration hit, of all people, Pumbaa. After breakfast, he secretly gathered together Zero, Ma, Uncle Max, and Kiara and voiced his plan. The five of them were intent to play matchmaker for the rivaling meerkats. They split up into two groups, one consisting of the boys, the other of the girls, and put their conspiracy in action.  
  
~*~  
  
Whee!! Ain't Shakepeare kewl? ^.^ 


	2. On the Boys' Side

Hahaha!!!!! XD Now, THIS is where the action comes in! My dad took me to Starbucks the other day and I was able to get a MAJOR portion of this chapter done. Anyhoo, I've checked out a copy of the actual Much Ado About Nothing from the library and looked over it. Some of the stuff in this chap will be strongly influced by the MGM version of the film, but I just thought that some of the stuff was so Timon-ish, so I put it in. Enjoy! XD  
  
Disclaimer: *snore*  
  
~*~  
  
Chap 2: On the Boys' Side  
  
That afternoon, Timon decided to talk a walk through the oasis to where he had his hammock hanging over the water. It would give him some time to cool off some steam after his fight with Saria. Along the way, he continued to question himself about love and women. "Females…" he seethed to himself. "Who? What? Where? When? Why? …I don't know!! You can never tell with these broads."  
  
He walked over to a large boulder just small enough for him to flip over to the side where he found several bugs crawling around underneath. He picked up a grub and popped it into his mouth. "I don't get it!" I mean, why couldn't have things stayed the way they were before? Simba and Pumbaa and I lived a great life before! We were three best pals batchin' it and living the true meaning of Hakuna Matata! We raised that kid as if he were our own son. He was a true Hakuna Matata champ! He even beat me at snail-slurping for crying out loud! But suddenly the girl shows up and WHAM!! Then comes the hugging and the nuzzling and the kissing…" He shuddered and slapped his forehead. "And we all live in a house that Jack built. But me myself, I can't have what he has now!" He whimpered pathetically. "Why?? Doesn't anyone love Timon the meerkat? Why is it that I can't find a girl? I mean, I'm a nice guy." He picked up a fat millipede and slurped it into his mouth. "I'm sociable, I'm level-headed, I'm dignified." He suddenly let out a huge belch, and then covered his mouth in surprise. He laughed sheepishly. "Ha…Heh-Heh…Heh… Okay, well, maybe I have an itty-bitty flaw here and there, but what the hey! Who needs girls??"  
  
He stopped and rubbed his chin. "If I had a girl of my own, what would she be like?" He smiled to himself a little. "Well…she would be pretty, she'd appreciate me…maybe she'd have blonde hair…no…red?" He shrugged. "Ah, hair isn't really an issue. I'd want her eyes be brown or blue or something like that… Her fur would be really soft." He stared and wondered if there really was a girl out there somewhere for him. But he quickly shook it off. "Argh! C'mon, Timmy, stop kiddin' yourself. Start bein' a meerkat! You don't need a girl to live your life! You are the consummate master of Hakuna Matata, so start acting like it!! I'm gonna die a bachelor, ya hear that Simba?! HA!! I'm gonna leave this world as an independent man, dog-gone it!!!" He sighed and muttered. "Geez, I'm glad I got that off my chest."  
  
Suddenly hearing laughing and voices, Timon walked over and parted the limbs of a bush. In the distance, he saw Pumbaa, Zero, and Uncle Max all walking through the jungle together, talking. Timon rolled his eyes. "Oh…If it isn't the old man Zero, and his two fellow stooges." He shook his head and walked over to where his hammock hung over the water. He stretched out on his back, crossed his legs, and closed him eyes.  
  
Pumbaa, who had noticed Timon when he had peeked at them through the bushes, turned his head and gave a silent wink at Uncle Max.  
  
"Now what is this I hear, Zero…" Uncle Max started, raising his voice just enough for Timon to hear. "…About your daughter Saria falling in love with my great-nephew, Timon?"  
  
His eyes popping open, Timon suddenly jerked up in shock. He suddenly lost his balance and fell off the hammock into the water with a yelp.   
  
"Oh, my poor girl…" Zero said. "I don't know what I'm going to do with her!" Timon lifted his fore body out of the water and onto land, listening with wide eyes. "She hasn't been eating or sleeping for so long! She thinks about that boy day and night, night and day!"  
  
Timon crawled out and crept into the foliage a little ways behind where they were talking, but being careful not to be seen.  
  
"But seriously," Pumbaa said. "Timon's such a little guy. He's…well, he's, uh… I can't find the word I'm looking for…"  
  
"Insignificant?" Uncle Max put in. "News flash, Ein-Swine. Growing up, Timon was the runt of the pack! And besides, Saria is a beautiful and sophisticated young meerkat. I mean, Timon doesn't deserve her. The only look of adoration he's ever gotten from girls was when he was 2. I mean, Urkael gets more looks of adoration than Timon!"  
  
Timon put his hands on his hips, offended. "Oh!!" he yelled, forgetting that he was not supposed to be seen.   
  
Pumbaa, Zero, and Uncle Max all stopped and looked around, pretending to be looking for the source of the sound.  
  
Timon quickly ducked behind a bush where he couldn't be seen. Thinking quickly, he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Caw!!" he called as if he were a bird. "Caw!"  
  
Pumbaa, Zero, and Uncle Max all looked around a few more seconds before looking at each other. Then they just shrugged in unison and chuckled.  
  
Timon sighed in relief, thankful that 'they hadn't noticed' him and that he had 'tricked' them.  
  
"But, Zero!" Uncle Max started. "How do you know that she so desperately in love? I mean what has she been doing that makes it so evident?"  
  
Zero froze. "…Uh…" He shifted uneasily. He hadn't thought about what to say if he was asked a particular question like this. "W-Well, she told you herself, remember?"  
  
Uncle Max gave him small glare. "No." he said matter-of-factly. "Pray-tell. Please inform me."  
  
Zero's face began to pale. Uncle Max gave him a look as if to say 'C'mon! Just say something!' Timon cocked an eyebrow, practically on the edge of his seat. Finally, Zero smiled and motioned for Pumbaa and Uncle Max to lean in closer. The three of them huddled together and Zero whispered something into their ears.  
  
Afterwards, Pumbaa and Uncle Max drew back in shock and gasped. "No!" Pumbaa gasped, sounding very surprised.  
  
"Yes!" Zero said to the warthog. "She's gonna kill herself pining over that boy!"  
  
Timon's eyes widened, unaware that Zero was using just another metaphor.  
  
"Has she told him? Has she confessed her love to him yet?" Pumbaa asked.  
  
"No!" Zero said, putting on his best worrisome voice. "She cannot bring herself to admit it to him!"  
  
"Zero…" Uncle Max put an arm around the old meerkat's shoulders. "I hate to be the barer of bad news here, but she doesn't stand a chance with my great-nephew. Timon doesn't understand what it is to love a girl. He…He can't learn to love!"  
  
However, Pumbaa stepped in to put in his two cents. "But you don't need to worry about it, Mr. Zero, sir. Just as my good buddy says, Hakuna Matata!"  
  
"The pig's right for once, Zero." Uncle Max said. "Don't you worry. She'll tell him one of these days. You just watch. In the meantime, I'm hungry!"  
  
Pumbaa leaned down his head, allowing the two meerkats to climb on. "Who's up for liftin' a log?" He turned and began trotting back into the jungle.  
  
Still hiding in the bushes, Timon turned around and thought. "This had got to be a trick… It's just like them to do this to me. But…" he watched the three of them ride off. "…Uncle Max is in on this! That's gotta count for something! He wouldn't play along with something like this…would he?"  
  
As Zero, Uncle Max, and Pumbaa all rode off, they snickered silently to themselves. "It worked!" Zero whispered with a big smile on his face. "Now it's all up to the girls."  
  
Suddenly, Uncle Max straightened up as if he had just been struck by lightning. "Wait a minute!" he put an arm around Zero's shoulder and grabbed Pumbaa's ear with the other hand. He whispered to the two of them. "Let's send Saria to invite him to dinner!"  
  
Zero smiled. "Good thinkin', Max!" he whispered.  
  
Pumbaa chuckled quietly as the three of them rode off and disappeared into the foliage.  
  
Back by the brush, Timon paced along the ground. "This…is definitely not a trick." He smiled goofily to himself. "She loves me!" he said, spreading him arms wide. Then, keeping his grin, "…Why? What have I got to give her?" He thought and rubbed his chin. "Oh, I get it. The reason she's been acting so irrational around me is because she's too nervous to confess her love to me! Ha! She thought she could fool old Timon, huh? No way! I can see right through her!" He glanced to the ground in thought. "You know, now that I think of it…I think I appeal more of brown hair and green eyes…I mean, a guy can change his taste every once and a while, right? And I have to admit, I like a girl that's a bit of a rebel. W-When I said I would die a bachelor, I didn't think I would live to actually get married. Heh…Yeah, that's it… But… is she really killing herself?" He twiddled his thumbs nervously, and then began to walk off back towards where the colony was.  
  
"Maybe Uncle Max is right. Keeping away from a relationship like that would really save me a butt-load of--" He suddenly stopped and gave a girly shriek, stumbling back. "Here comes Saria!!" He quickly dove behind the brush and ran over to a log. He sat himself down on it, crossing his legs and brushing a hand through his hair to settle it. Then, he folded his hands together on one of his knees and put on a savvy grin.  
  
With a ticked-off expression on her face, Saria approached Timon, who was sitting on the log looking rather suave.  
  
"Against my will," she uttered dully. "I have been sent to invite you over to dinner." She finished her sentence with a sarcastic smile.  
  
Timon cleared his throat and grinned. "I wholeheartedly appreciate your invitation, Saria!"  
  
"Well, believe me, it wasn't my idea."  
  
"I-I apologize for our little fight earlier today. I, uh, I tend to get a little out of control with myself…"  
  
"I'll say."  
  
Timon laughed. "Ha-ha! Heh, you're a keeper!"  
  
Saria stared at him like he was crazy. "…Listen Timon, if you're trying to be charming, it's not working. Okay?"  
  
"Oh, no, Saria. And once again, I thank you for your troubles of coming out here."  
  
Saria rolled her eyes. "Unless you don't have a stomach, I suggest you get yourself off your tail and get on over so my father can humor you. Good day." With that, she turned and walked off.  
  
"…Bye!" he called. As she walked off, he rubbed his chin. "Against my will, I have been sent to invite you over to dinner." Timon repeated. He smiled to himself. "…I believe she means that in more ways than one. Oh, yeah, Timon. You are good, my man." He smiled wider to himself. "You are good!" He stood and looked to the sky. "It's finally happening to me!" He began to walk through the jungle. "I thought it never would, but it's happening!" he sighed in his entered-my-dream-world look. "I'm in love!" He ran out to the edge of a nearby ridge that gave a fantastic view of the entire oasis. He spread in arms out like he was in the middle of a scene in 'The Sound of Music' and yelled loud enough for the whole oasis to hear.  
  
"I'M IN LOVE!!!" 


	3. On the Girls' Side

I've been alternating between writing the next chapters of both Much Ado About Meerkats (MAAM) and The Old Photo Album (TOPA). And this NC trip that I thought was supposed to be HALF a week turns into a WHOLE week, ere go I was disabled of internet usage on my computer. Also, like an idiot, went and left my copy of Much Ado About Nothing back at the house. So I've just had to depend on memory and such to write this chapter. Oh, also in this chapter, Kiara addresses Timon's mom as Kiden, the name I selected for her in my stories. It used to be Zuri, but somebody else beat me to that name. (Hakuna Matata, Kari. ;; )  
  
Also, there's a little gag I used in this chap that might need explaining. There's a song called 'No Man's Woman'. I forget the artist, but the song is really funny. In the beginning of the song, the artist is using the main line: 'I never wanna be no man's woman' in the double-negative, slurring way. (AKA 'I don't wanna be a man's woman.') But in the end, she says the same thing: 'I never wanna be no man's woman' but in sense of the proper grammer. (AKA 'I wanna be a man's woman.') So, I used that little gag in this chap.   
  
I apologize profusely about the lateness, shortness, and simplicity of this chapter. I was trying as hard as I could not to make it repeat the boy's side chapter. Plus, if Saria seems to be a little dislikable in the chapter, it's by accident. Hopefully, in future fics, you'll be able to see Saria's full personality.  
  
Shutting up now. ;;  
  
Chap 3: On the Girls' Side  
  
Saria walked through the jungle, still pretty ticked off of being sent to invite Timon to dinner. Her pace was stiff and quickened as she headed back to meet her father. "Please…" she said to herself, ticked off. "'Wholeheartedly appreciate your invitation…' What's gotten into that guy? He's suddenly gone Carey Grant on me." She shook her head. "I'll never understand men for as long as I live. I've never needed a man. And I guess it's safe to say that I never will!" she marched along, looking rather dependent on herself. "I don't wanna be no man's woman; I can take care of myself."  
  
Not too far away, at a small rivulet, Ma and Kiara stood by the water. Kiara lifted her head from where she had bent to get a drink. She saw Saria walking by and lifted a paw, nudging Ma lightly with it.  
  
"Now, your Highness," Ma said. "You are saying that Timon… MY Timon…has fallen in love with Saria?"  
  
Saria suddenly halted to a stop and her eyes went as wide as dinner plates.  
  
"Fallen?" Kiara said. "He's gone base over apex for her!"  
  
Ma looked to the ground in regret. "Oh…my poor baby. He's been so lonely lately… His father died when he was only 6, and since then, I-I don't think that scar's ever really healed. And now that's he fallen for Saria, he can't take his mind off of her!"  
  
Saria silently crept behind a nearby rock to listen to what they were saying.  
  
"Well, from what I've seen…" Kiara started. She sighed. "Oh, I don't know how I'm going to say this… See, Saria is…well, she's…"  
  
"Unpredictable?"  
  
"Exactly. I mean, from what I've seen these past couple of years, you never know how she'll react to what."  
  
"I hear ya there."  
  
"I mean, don't get me wrong, she's a beautiful girl… Look, i-if you were Timon, how would you handle this?"  
  
"Well…I would probably be shutting myself in a tunnel for eternity in fear of speaking up. But my son's not like that… No, Timon is much stronger than I am. He was always the most popular kid in the tunnels when he was little."  
  
Saria stifled a scoff. _Yeah right_, she thought.  
  
On the inside, Kiara was rolling on the floor and giggling like a madman. But because she couldn't blow their cover, the young lioness simply forced a pleasant smile. "Yeah?" she bit her lip to keep herself from losing it. "So Timon's basically been a popular guy all his life?"  
  
Ma nodded and smiled.  
  
"Well, then… Maybe Timon's too good for Saria."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Yeah! He's strong, he's cunning…" Kiara listed. _I'm lying…_ she thought. "I mean, what kind of future would he have with a girl like Saria? He just wanted to make friends with her when she first came to the oasis with her father. I admit, maybe he DID have a bit of a bad first impression, and I've heard that Saria had lost her mother only a little while before she came here. So I guess her reaction to him was…understandable. She's incapable of love. You know, one of those… 'No man's women'. But I'm just hoping Timon will realize that before he falls for her any harder. His heart would be so broken."  
  
"Yes…" Ma started, lowering her eyes. "But I know how much he wants to father pups. He told me himself. You know Buzz never got around to teaching him anything about fathering since his son was so young when he died…"  
  
Saria blinked. _Old Fearless Buzz? _She thought to herself. _Timon is the son of Old Fearless Buzz??  
_  
"But I guess these things just take time, right?"  
  
Kiara's face suddenly brightened. "Oh, Ms. Kiden, I haven't even told you yet! We found out just the other day; I'm expecting! Kovu and I are gonna have cubs!"  
  
Ma smiled widely and clasped her paws together. "Oh, Princess Kiara, congratulations!" She hugged Kiara's leg. "Have you told your father yet?"  
  
With a twinkle of mischief in her eyes, Kiara shook her head. "No, I've only told Mom. She's kept it a secret, but I can't wait to see Daddy's face when I tell him. I know he's gonna flip!" She giggled and ran off. "C'mon! Let's go break it to him!"  
  
Ma smiled and ran after the lioness. Saria quietly came out from her hiding place and watched them leave.  
  
Once they were well out of her sight, Ma and Kiara slowed to a stop and giggled. Ma turned to Kiara. "Was that a bluff? That you and Kovu were expecting?"  
  
"Nope!" Kiara beamed. "We really are having cubs! It was just a little something I thought I might as well pitch in. You know, just some truth thrown into all the fibbing. You milked it pretty well back there!"  
  
"Well, you know what they say: You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar."  
  
Ma and Kiara giggled and ran off towards Pride Rock.  
  
Saria peeked out from behind the rock. She slowly walked out from behind it. She stood there for a moment with wide eyes, looking like she was contemplating all that she had heard. "Sheez…" she said. "I didn't know my reputation was so… absolute." She thought and rubbed her chin. "So Timon's apparently popular, huh?" She stifled a laugh. "Hard to believe… But…I guess any son of Fearless Buzz would be popular…" She thought about what they had said. "Incapable of love, they said. 'No man's women'." In a way, she was offended. For them to say that she wasn't deserving of someone was a serious downer. If she had known a little more about her 'secret admirer', she might have not acted so brash in the first place. Timon DID seem like he was a nice guy at some angles… But she wasn't exactly convinced this whole thing wasn't a bluff. She didn't know a lot about Timon's mother and the lion princess.  
  
In the corner of her eye, Saria spotted something bright pink. Turning her head, she noticed a jungle flower that was in full bloom, sticking out like a sore thumb from all of the greenery. She never really gave in to the whole petal-picking method to see if any guy really did love her or not. But then again, she never thought she'd actually ever believe Timon was in love with her in the first place. Plus, she faintly felt her 'girly habits' tingling. So, with a shrug, she picked the flower and sat on the rock she had been hiding behind. She began pulling off the petals. "…He loves me… He loves me not… He loves me… He loves me not…" She continued to do this a couple more times until there was one more petal left. He eyes widened as she picked it and looked at it. "He loves me!" she smiled. And for some reason, she suddenly believed it. She laughed and jumped to her feet. "Yes!!"  
  
Just then, Zero walked into the scene. He spotted his daughter. "Hello, Saria."  
  
"Oh, Papa!" Saria said dreamily. She suddenly came up and hugged him tightly, picking him up in her arms and beginning to spin around with him like she was dancing with somebody.  
  
"Oof!!" Zero grunted, his eyes bugging a little.  
  
Saria continued to twirl around with her father. "This is the most wonderful day in my life, Papa! Ms. Kiden and Princess Kiara were right! I never want to be no man's women, as long as I live! Never, never, never!!" She dropped her father and looked at the one petal she held. "I'd never thought I'd feel this way about anyone…"  
  
Zero blinked, but then cracked a realizing smile as he watched his daughter. The girls had obviously done their duty and succeeded; now it was all in a matter of time before things started happening...  
  
The end? Not quite! Hopefully, the last chapter won't take too long to post! ;; 


	4. Turning the Tables

Final chapter!! Sorry this took longer than expected... I only recently had thought to extend this chapter just to make it a bit more interesting. So this caused a little more brain pain and power to be spent. Sorry if I go a little OOC sometimes...  
  
Oh, yeah, the end of this chap is a bit LOTR inspired. I might put an epilogue up on this if it works out... Anyhoo, enjoy!!  
  
---  
  
Chap 4: Turning the Tables  
  
Pumbaa pointed a hoof as he saw Ma and Kiara come walking out of the foliage. "Uncle Max, look! There they are!" He and Max walked up to them. "Hey!" Pumbaa called. "How'd it go?"  
  
"Well…" Kiara started, "they've definitely taken the bait." she grinned.  
  
"Yep," Ma agreed with a smile, "and now all we've gotta do…"  
  
"…Is reel 'em in." the two girls said in unison.  
  
That night, they all met up with Zero in a clearing next to the waterfalls to further discuss their plan. "Okay…" Zero said, pacing. "The worst is behind us. They're convinced now. Maybe there were a few doubts here and there for the two of them. So now all we need is a way for them to _happen_ to run into each other." He stopped pacing, turned towards the others, and put his hands behind his back. He looked at them. "…Anyone?"  
  
Kiara, Pumbaa, Ma, and Uncle Max all looked at each other silently. The only sound was a sudden belch from Pumbaa. The others looked at him in partial disgust.  
  
"Sorry." the warthog grinned sheepishly.  
  
Zero sighed and shook his head. "O-kay then…" he said simply. "Everybody **THINK**."  
  
And that's just what everybody did. The next few minutes were so quiet that one could almost hear the tedious theme of Jeopardy playing faintly in the background.  
  
Kiara suddenly perked up. "I got it!!" she exclaimed. "If we just get them to cross paths, then they'll have to talk to each other, right?"  
  
"…Yeahh?" Pumbaa cocked an eyebrow, not quite seeing the point.  
  
"Alright… we'll get them to meet each other here in the middle of this clearing. That way, they really have no opportunity to slip away quickly. They're gonna have to talk!"  
  
"Sounds good!" Zero said. "But whatever we do, we can't have them suspect that we're just setting them up."  
  
"Aren't we?" Pumbaa asked.  
  
"Yes," Uncle Max said, "but for very good reasons. If Timon gets the girl, then he'll get over this annoying, whiny, loneliness thing."  
  
"Now we just need to figure out the cause and effect…" Ma thought for a moment, and then motioned for Pumbaa to lean down to him. "Pumbaa, listen to me." she said. "You have a very important job to do…"  
  
Timon lay in his hammock, smiling and tapping his foot to the rhythm of the music in his head, and feeling quite confident in his self.  
  
"Timon?" a voice called. "Ya there, Timon?" From the bushes, Pumbaa walked out. He trotted out to where his friend was laying. "Timon?"  
  
Not seeming to hear him, Timon continued to dwell in his dream world.  
  
"Timon, hello? Timon? Helloooo? Timon!!"  
  
Eventually, Timon opened his eyes and glanced to the side, just in time to see Pumbaa's large pink snout right in his face. "**_TIMON!!!!_**" Pumbaa yelled loudly. "**_ARE YOU THERE?!?!_**"  
  
"_**HUH, WHAT, WHAT?!?!**_" Timon jumped up, causing himself to fall of into the water again with a yell. He swam to the surface and slicked his rogue hair back from his eyes. "What's the big deal??"  
  
"Timon, your mom sent me to ask you a favor. She needs you to go down to the waterfalls and get some water."  
  
"What? Why can't she do it?"  
  
Pumbaa slurred his words, trying to remember what he was told to say in these certain cases. "Uhm…she said, uh…that you had made her a promise."  
  
Timon stood up in his hammock. "_Promise_?"  
  
"Yep. She said that, four years ago," Pumbaa looked deep in thought at the scenery around him as if he were trying to remember what Ma had told him, "after you had caused that collapse of the tunnel wall in a restricted area, in order to save yourself from severe grounding you made a vow to her that you would do all in your power to make it up to her and Uncle Max by helping out with whatever favor you could, which you haven't done since."  
  
Timon rolled his eyes. "That was years ago! I was 16! What's she gonna do if I don't do this? Ground me?"  
  
Pumbaa was aghast. "But Timon, you made a _promise_!"  
  
"Pumbaa," Timon started, "maybe the Jungle Times haven't caught up with ya yet. That task would classify as work, a direct violation of Hakuna Matata law." The meerkat swung his arms out as if he was motioning something off. "There is no way that I'm--whoaa--!" He was tossed off balance as he swung his arms out. This caused him once more to fall into the water. Ticked off, he surfaced and swam to the shore. "There is no way that I'm breaking that law."  
  
Pumbaa furrowed his brow. "And if you have to take it to the main authority…?"  
  
"Then I'd tell 'er just what I told you."  
  
"Yeah? I bet you couldn't even tell her the truth if it came and punched you in the mouth."  
  
"Well, riddle me this. Why couldn't we just get the water from this spring?"  
  
"Uh…I dunno! She said the waterfalls, so just go to the waterfalls!"  
  
Timon shook his head and stiffened up stubbornly. "I refuse to run the risk of breaking Hakuna Matata law without a good and decent reason."  
  
Suddenly, Pumbaa reached out his hoof and pushed Timon off of the shore and into the water. "AAHH!!" Timon yelped as he fell in. A minute later, he surfaced and glared at Pumbaa. "Hey!! What was that for?!"  
  
"Third time's the charm." Pumbaa said with a self-satisfied grin.  
  
Timon groaned and climbed onto the shore, shaking the water off his fur. "Fine, fine, I'll go… But only to humor you and Ma!"  
  
Pumbaa smiled discreetly. If only he knew…  
  
While all this had been happening, Saria was over at a batch of jungle wildflowers, humming to herself as she walked around, picking one of the flowers every once-in-a-while.  
  
Zero walked into the scene with a bowl-shaped gourd shell in his paws. He smiled when he saw his daughter humming and looking in high spirits. "Well, you've certainly been in a good mood lately."  
  
Saria smiled. "Well, I have a good reason." She picked one of the small flowers and tucked it behind her ear.  
  
"Saria, baby, I need you to do me a favor."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Zero handed her the gourd shell. "I need you to go down to the waterfalls and get us some water."  
  
"Uh…o-okay, but, uh…why can't you go?"  
  
Zero scoffed lightly. "Sari, Sari, Sari…" he shook his head. "I'm not as young as I used to be. Your dad's turnin' into an old crone!"  
  
"Oh, stop it, Dad. You're not that old."  
  
Zero leaned in towards her. "My hair's already gone gray and I have lower back pain. I'm over the hill."  
  
"Good." Saria grinned sheepishly, handing him back the gourd shell. "Then that'll save me the trouble of going _up_ the hill in order to get to the waterfalls!"  
  
"Aww, c'mon, Saria." Zero pleaded. He pouted and made puppy eyes. "Do it for your old dad."  
  
Saria hunched her shoulders, turned her head away, and shut her eyes tight. "Ohh, man, with the face and the eyes and…" She finally loosened her shoulders and slumped in exasperation. "Ohh! Alright." she smiled at Zero. "You win. I'll go."  
  
Zero lifted the corner of his mouth up in a half-smirk and handed her the gourd shell. "Victory."  
  
Later, near the falls, Timon walked through the foliage with a gourd shell on his way to gather water. He pushed a branch out of the way right after it slapped him in the face. He muttered to himself.  
  
In the foliage on the other side of the clearing, Saria carried her gourd shell towards the falls, having the same difficulties as Timon was. But when they both stepped into the clearing, they didn't notice each other because they both had their eyes straight forward and their minds on their tasks.  
  
"_Ow! Mr. Zero, that was my paw!_" Kiara whispered in the bushes. "_I can't see!_"  
  
"_Uncle Max,_" Ma whispered, "_move your big head out of the way! What's goin' on out there?_"  
  
"_Nothing's happening…_" Uncle Max whispered in a sing-song voice. "_I don't think they even--_YOW!!"  
  
"_Shhh!!_" Zero hushed him. "_What's your problem, old man??_"  
  
"_That was my tail, you idiot swine!_" Uncle Max snapped.  
  
"_Whoops. Sorry._" Pumbaa whispered.  
  
Saria walked up to the pool at the bottom of the falls and kneeled down. She dipped the bowl in and started to scoop some water out. She blinked when she saw a second bowl dip into the water right next to her. Both Timon and Saria looked and saw each other's reflection in the water. They gasped and quickly stood and faced each other, both holding their filled bowls in their arms.  
  
Finally, the two young meerkats were stuck, seemingly alone and staring at each other against the backdrop of the falls. They both looked at each other and blinked, not really sure what to say.  
  
"Uhh…" Timon finally spoke, but rather more slurring than speaking. "…Hey, Saria."  
  
"…H-Hi, Timon…" Saria replied a bit shyly.  
  
The two of them both let their gazes wander across the jungle floor for a minute. Then, in unison, they both turned to look at each other, but quickly glanced back to the ground. Then they turned in unison again and opened their mouths like they were about to say something, but then they both stopped themselves. Another quiet minute passed.  
  
"L-Listen…" Timon stuttered.  
  
"Timon, I…" Saria started.  
  
"I wanted to say that I…"  
  
"What I'm tryin' to say is I…"  
  
They looked at each other. "…I gotta go." they said in unison. Then, without another word, they walked forward on their different paths into the jungle, both silently rebuking themselves for acting so dumb.  
  
"Eww…" Uncle Max muttered from where he stood watching with the others in the foliage. "That wasn't supposed to happen…" he said.  
  
"What now?" Pumbaa asked. "This would be when we'd move on to 'Plan B', right?"  
  
"Sure, but… There is no 'Plan B'." Zero muttered.  
  
"I was afraid of that…"  
  
Timon looked down at the shell full of water, feeling dumb. He sighed. Then, in a show of self-pity, he flipped the shell over and slapped in onto his head like a helmet, giving himself a mini-shower in the process.  
  
"Hmmmm…" Ma lowered an eyebrow and groaned softly in exasperation. "Maybe we should fall back and regroup."  
  
"Give 'em time." Kiara said. "As they always say, time is the best medicine."  
  
Uncle Max chortled teasingly as he watched Timon sulk off, wet and looking like the most pathetic creature in the world. "Sure…but it's a lousy beautician."  
  
Zero's advice was taken and they all waited it out, hoping there would be some improvement and their kids would try and talk to each other eventually. But as weeks went by, things only seemed to get worst, and both Timon and Saria were nervous to even make eye contact.  
  
The whole setup seemed to be completely in vain.  
  
However, everything changed one evening while Timon was sitting with Pumbaa, Ma, and Uncle Max as they all were eating.  
  
As Timon picked up an earthworm and stuck one end of it in his mouth to slurp it, he glanced up and suddenly froze. Pumbaa, Ma, and Uncle Max all looked up to see what it was he was staring at. They all saw Saria standing there with some of the other meerkats, talking to them. She was standing right where the orange sunlight pierced from behind the evening clouds, through the trees, and right onto her fur. In Timon's eyes, she looked almost like a dappled gem. After a minute, Saria glanced back and noticed him staring at her with the worm hanging out of his mouth and wiggling. Their eyes met.  
  
Still immobile, Timon slurped the worm into his mouth like a strand of spaghetti and continued to stare at her dumbly.  
  
Saria only smiled a little and waved, then continued chatting while Timon just sat there and blinked at her. But then, a look of courage and determination suddenly came across Timon's face. Narrowing his eyes, he took a deep breath in, and then let it out. Much to his friend's and family's surprise, he rose to his feet and walked towards Saria bravely.  
  
Pumbaa, Ma, and Uncle Max all blinked and watched him as he approached her. As he watched what his meerkat friend did next, Pumbaa's eyes suddenly widened and his jaw dropped almost to the ground. Uncle Max turned back around from where he was watching his nephew. He stared into nothing, his eyes wide. In shock, he mouthed a 'wow' at Pumbaa and Ma. Ma's mouth gaped as she cracked a smile and watched her son in amused disbelief.  
  
The three of them looked at each other and smiled, knowing for sure that they had finally pulled it off. They looked back at Timon, still quite surprised and amused that he had mustered up the courage to do what he had just done.  
  
As for Timon, he didn't seem to care or even notice that everyone in the colony was watching him.  
  
"Houston," said Uncle Max to Ma and Pumbaa, "we have full-lip contact."

The End


End file.
